


Watashitachi no Seikatsu (Soshite Sekai) o Aratani (Our Lives (and the World) Anew)

by LSims



Category: Allegiance - Kuo/Acito/Thione
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:07:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25369588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LSims/pseuds/LSims
Summary: World War II is over, thank god. The soldiers are coming home, the barbed wire has come down, and America can live once more in peace. Or can it?Kei Kimura just wants to raise her daughter in a happy, loving family, and a happy, peaceful America. But with Kei's brother still estranged from the family, and the pain (and prejudices) of the war still running deep, Kei must learn how to navigate this new life she lives, and the world it resides in.
Relationships: Frank Suzuki/ Keiko Kimura, Sam Kimura/Hannah Campbell





	Watashitachi no Seikatsu (Soshite Sekai) o Aratani (Our Lives (and the World) Anew)

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is my first Allegiance fic. I really wanted to explore post-wwII America.

_December 7, 1946_

_Exactly 5 years since the attack on Pearl Harbor._

_Exactly 4 years, 9 months, and 18 days since the Relocation Order._

_Exactly 2 years, 3 months, and 4 days since Hannah died._

_Exactly 1 year, 8 months, and a week since Ojii-chan died._

_Exactly 1 year, 6 months, and 27 days since Hanako was born._

_Exactly 1 year, 3 months, and 28 days since the bombs were dropped._

_Exactly 1 year, 3 months, and 5 days since the war officially ended._

_Exactly 1 year and 27 days since Heart Mountain closed._

_Exactly 8 months and 10 days since Papa came home._

_Exactly 10 months and 2 days since Frankie came home._

_And exactly 4 months and 18 days since Sam left._

The last one hurt the worst.

It's December 7, 1946, and, down to the second, it's been 5 years since Pearl Harbor. Everyone is solemn today, but for the Japanese Americans, their sadness comes from the hell that day wrought in its wake. 

Keiko Suzuki sighs and closes her eyes as she observes the moment of silence. She internally curses her parents' home country, for dragging America into the war, and their Japanese people with it. But, she supposes, with slight shame, they weren't _just_ fighting the Japanese.

Although, that became awfully hard to tell sometimes.

Kei rises and puts a hand over her heart as the Star-Spangled Banner plays. Frankie's sitting, she notices, and she tenses, though only for a moment. He's allowed to peacefully protest in his own home, he's been released from prison, and the war is over. Still, some wounds run deep. 

The announcer switches over to speeches, and Kei turns the volume down, returning to her knitting. Her father, Tatsuo, leaves to use the restroom, and Frankie takes Hana out of her crib and bounces her on his lap. 

Kei smiles. "You're so good with her."

"I try." He jokes. "Gotta make up for the lost time."

"I'm going to the store later, do we need anything?"

"Eggs, butter, some more food for Hana."

Kei nods. 

Hana coos "Mama," and Frankie grins before handing the toddler to Kei. "She wants you."

"Does she, now?" 

Kei positions the girl in her lap and looks her in the eye. " it's too early for lunch, so you'd better not be hungry, Hanako."

"Ju." She replies, smiling.

"Juice? A good choice. How about you Papa?" Kei asks as her father reenters the sitting room.

"Tea is fine."

"Alright, juice and tea it is." 

She gets up and prepares the drinks. "Guess I'll have to get more juice too, this is the last drop." She turns. " to Frankie. "Speaking off, what are your hours this week?"

The man sighs "Nine-to-five all week."

Kei sighs as well. "Damn. I'll miss you."

"At least he gets paid," Tatsuo says.

"Right you are, Tatsuo, right you are."

Kei knew Frankie hated working at the local grocer's. He belonged in law school, or better yet, _being_ a lawyer, but the war had happened, and Frankie had to quit, and then he was charged with treason, so he doubted UCLA wanted him back. It paid well enough, and, it kept him busy, so he put up with it. But they both looked forward to the day he could quit.

* * *

Kei shrieked as she slipped off the shelf. She fell back, landing on her bottom, and dropped the bottle. She groaned as it shattered and began to spill.

Nobody offered to help her. A few glanced at her, but everyone mostly just cleared the isle. A store worker came over and glared at Kei. 

"What'd you do?" He snapped.

"I-I slipped and dropped the juice. I'm sorry, I know it's a huge mess."

"Damn right it is." He handed Kei a mop and broom. "Here, and I expect you'll pay for the bottle you broke!"

Kei nodded and he left her to clean.

She knew why he was being so harsh to her over a broken juice bottle.

The fighting with guns might be over, but the fight on the homefront was still as strong as ever. 


End file.
